Vivekananda International Foundation | Seeking Harmony in Diversity

Hirak Jyoti Das, Senior Research Associate, VIF

The West Asia Experts Group Meeting was virtually held on 4 August 2021 by the Vivekananda International Foundation, the discussion was focussed on India-Turkey Relations; Turkey’s Foreign Policy and its Regional role. The key speakers in the...

August 4, 2021

West Asia, International Relations and Diplomacy
Tags: COVID-19, G20 summit, President Erdogan, Turkey

India’s Engagement with Nepal and Bhutan: What can India do More?

Dr Rishi Gupta

Amidst rising tensions along India’s northern border, does India’s engagement with Nepal and Bhutan meet its strategic requirements, and what else can India do more? To discuss these questions, a webinar was organised on “India’s Engagement...

August 3, 2021

Bhutan, Nepal, Neighbourhood Studies
Tags: Act East, Doklam, Himalayan Railway network, Neighbourhood first policy, Nepalese politics, OBOR

Talk on China in Rajapakse 2.0: Ports and Geo-Political Challenges

Dr Cchavi Vasisht

On 02 August 2021, the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organised a talk by Prof Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, author and Senior Advisor on Security and Geopolitics, Sri Lanka, on "China in Rajapakse 2.0: Ports and Geo-Political Challenges...

August 2, 2021

China, Sri Lanka, International Relations and Diplomacy
Tags: Belt and Road Initiative, China, Hambantota port, Rajapakse

VIF Virtual talk on ‘India-Tajikistan Relations’ by Amb. Viraj Singh, Indian Ambassador to Tajikistan

Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF

India and Tajikistan are traditional partners. They share deep historical and cultural relations. Tajikistan was a part of the Kushana and Persian Empire, which had close cultural linkages with India. Subsequently, during the Islamic rule in...

July 26, 2021

Central Asia, International Relations and Diplomacy
Tags: Dushanbe, India-Tajikistan Relations, Kushana, Tajikistan

Vimarsha Address by Dr Ajay Kumar, Defence Secretary, Govt. of India talk on 'India's Defence Reforms'

Naval Jagota

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) invited Dr Ajay Kumar, Defence Secretary, Govt. of India for a public discourse on 'India's Defence Reforms'. The talk was organised under the aegis of Vimarsha, a platform offered by the VIF to...

July 22, 2021

National Security and Strategic Studies, Defence
Tags: Defence reforms, Defence Secretary, Defence sector, Global power

Shared Buddhist Heritage between India and Russia

Anushka Saraswat

Speakers from Russian side: Prof.

July 19, 2021

Historical and Civilisational Studies
Tags: Global Initiative, Hindu-Buddhist, Samvad

Talk on Introduction to Mīmāṃsā and Vedānta Philosophy

Rohith Krishna

On 16th July 2021, Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organized a lecture on ‘Introduction to Mīmāṃsā and Vedānta Philosophy’ by Prof Shashi Prabha Kumar, Dean, Sri Sankaracharya Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi...

July 16, 2021

Historical and Civilisational Studies
Tags: Mīmāṃsā, Philosophy, Vedanta

Foreign Secretary’s Vimarsh Talk on "Global Rebalancing and India's Foreign Policy"

Prerna Gandhi, Associate Fellow, VIF

In the series of Vimarsh public lectures delivered by eminent personalities, the VIF hosted an online talk by India’s Foreign Secretary, Shri Harsh V. Shringla on 30 June 2021.

June 30, 2021

International Relations and Diplomacy
Tags: Aatmanirbhar Bharat, China, Financial crisis, Global Rebalancing

VIF-RIAC Discussion on Post Covid Global and Regional Trends and India-Russia Relations

Dr Himani Pant

The VIF, in collaboration with the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) organised a virtual discussion on "Post Covid Global and Regional Trends and India-Russia Relations on 23 June. The participants in the discussion included Dr....

June 23, 2021

Russia, International Relations and Diplomacy
Tags: bilateral relationship, Covid Global, India-Russia

International Yoga Day

Anushka Saraswat

Vivekananda International Foundation organized a panel discussion on June 21, 2021, to commemorate International Yoga Day. The eminent speakers in the panel were Swami Atmalokananda, President, Ramakrishna Society Vedanta Centre and Dr Arpita...

June 21, 2021

Historical and Civilisational Studies
Tags: Indian Tradition, International Yoga Day, Swami Atmalokananda, Swami Vivekananda, Yoga

VIF Virtual Talk by H.E. Rahmatullah Nabil, former head of Afghanistan’s NDS

Aakriti Vinayak

The complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan before September 11 is turning out to be a complicated affair. Taliban is gaining a strong foothold in Afghanistan. It has not shown any seriousness in negotiations over intra-Afghan...

June 10, 2021

Afghanistan, Neighbourhood Studies
Tags: Intra-Afghan dialogue, Pakistan, Taliban, US Withdrawal

Introduction to Samkhya and Yoga Philosophy

Anushka Saraswat

Vivekananda International Foundation organised a talk on 31 May 2021 on Introduction to Samkhya and Yoga Philosophy by eminent speaker, Prof. Shashi Prabha Kumar, Dean, Sri Sankaracharya Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan. This...

May 31, 2021

Historical and Civilisational Studies
Tags: Philosophy, Samkhya, Yoga

IPIS-VIF Dialogue on Bilateral, Regional and International Issues

Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta, Associate Fellow, VIF

India and Iran share close historical and cultural links dating back to ancient times. In contemporary times, this relationship is multi-faceted and includes cooperation in political, trade-economic, security and multiple other sectors. In...

May 24, 2021

International Relations and Diplomacy
Tags: Doha Agreement, Gulf, JCPOA, Joe Biden, South Asia

Interaction between UK’s Chief of Defence and the Vivekananda International Foundation on UK’s “Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy”.

Naval Jagota

On 21 April 2021, Vivekananda International Foundation members had a virtual Interaction with UK’s Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nicholas PatrickCarter, GCB, CBE, DSO, ADC Gen. The interaction was focussed on the Indo-Pacific security and...

April 21, 2021

National Security and Strategic Studies, Defence
Tags: CDS. Indo-Pacific, foreign policy, UK

A look at Sanskrit literature

Heena Samant, Research Associate, VIF

On 14th April, 2021, Vivekananda International Foundation organized a webinar titled ‘A Look at Sanskrit Literature’.

April 14, 2021

Historical and Civilisational Studies
Tags: Cultural Confluence, Epigrammatic Verse, Philosophy, religion, Sanskrit Literature, Satire

Release of Russian Translation of the book “Swami Vivekananda Biography and Teachings”

Anushka Saraswat

Vivekananda International Foundation organised the virtual release of the Russian translation of the book “Swami Vivekananda Biography and Teachings” on 13th April 2021. The webinar was a collective effort of Vivekananda International...

April 13, 2021

Historical and Civilisational Studies
Tags: Civilisational values, Humanity, Swami Vivekananda, Urban education, World Religions